


The Great Destroyer

by ExpressAndAdmirable



Series: The Heroes of Light [57]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, Final Fantasy I
Genre: Angst, Drow, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gen, The Jaxa Cycle, Tiefling, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-09 00:11:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13469571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExpressAndAdmirable/pseuds/ExpressAndAdmirable
Summary: Lux's past finally comes back to haunt her (adapted from an actual D&D session).





	The Great Destroyer

**Author's Note:**

> Prose version of a plot point (wrecking ball) that happened during a D&D session. Jaxa’s Sendings and Salomethe’s dialogue by our DM, existential panic attack by me.

_Shit. SHIT. No no no, fuck, not now, not here, any time but fucking NOW–_

“Are you alright?”

Lux’s head snapped in the direction of the question, fighting to retain focus through the rush of adrenaline coursing through her body. The narrowed eyes fixed suspiciously on hers belonged to Salomethe of House Alethylth: disgraced former undergeneral of Deepgift, loyal supporter of the old regime, leader of the rebellion against the current Archmagistrix, the Heroes’ newest morally questionable ally and, incredibly inconveniently, Sol’s mother. She had paused her tactical briefing mid-sentence, noting the sudden tension in the Tiefling’s body. Fuck.

“Ahh…” Lux blinked, trying to still the shaking in her voice. “Yeah. Fine.”

It was a lie was so unconvincing it would have been comical had the circumstances not been so ludicrously dire. Rounding the war table like a panther closing in on its prey, Salomethe positioned herself directly before Lux, stepping uncomfortably close and locking her in place with her stare. “There cannot be _secrets_ among comrades,” she said slowly, each word a dagger-sharp warning.

Lux’s temper flared, fury momentarily overriding the terror gripping her chest. Salomethe had no right, no claim to the weight Lux carried in her heart. She could be as intimidating as she pleased, but she would never be half as frightening as the woman invading Lux’s mind. “Do you know a Tiefling named Jaxa Tohme?”

Salomethe pursed her lips. “So the rat has a last name.”

It was not the answer Lux wanted. She exhaled, battling the wave of nausea that threatened to wash over her. “Why is she here?”

“She sits at the right hand of the Archmagistrix,” Salomethe answered matter-of-factly, her catlike gaze never wavering.

“…Fuck.” It was all Lux could think of to say. She could feel her friends’ confusion, their morbid curiosity. They deserved to know what had happened.

Salomethe leaned back a step. It was not a gesture of comfort, a granting of space, but a shift in position to better read even the subtlest changes in Lux’s demeanour. “Why?”

Lux paused, then huffed. She had wanted to share the information with her trusted few, among whose number she most certainly did not count the undergeneral, but all at once Jaxa had become a larger threat than ever. “I just received a message from her. She wants to meet.”

Cid gasped. Wilhelm frowned. Sol tensed, her eyes darting between her mother and her partner. Salomethe’s face remained impassive. “How do you know her?”

Another pause. Then, carefully: “She has a hostage who is very important to me.”

Salomethe thought for a moment, turning the information over in her mind. “She is an agent of Chaos and she has the Archmagistrix’s ear. If she wants to meet, distracting her could be useful.” She gestured from Lux to the rest of the Heroes. “Is it only you she wants to meet with, or the six of you?”

“Me,” Lux began, breaking Salomethe’s hold on her to look directly at Sol, “and also with Haluei’en.” Her lips twitched, nearly mouthing a silent apology to the woman she loved, but she kept them still. She had not wanted to tell Sol like this, but she refused to show any more weakness in front of the undergeneral than she already had.

One of Salomethe’s brows rose just slightly. “Interesting.” Lux watched her warily; did she not know? “Here’s my proposition,” the Drow continued. “Meet with her, bring the general–” she pointed at Sol, then to the remaining Heroes, “–and the four of you will be sufficient in infiltrating the armoury and getting what we need. Draw the throne’s attention away for long enough and they may not even be able to carry out their threat.”

The voices around her faded into the background, planning and replanning and hotly debating, as Lux replayed the Sending in her mind. _“I’d like to see you before you do something foolish, Kitten. Leave your thugs, bring your girlfriend, meet me at the House of Commons.”_ Now. Here. When she most needed to keep her mind clear, needed to be fully present, needed to give of her strength to keep the Heroes focused. To keep her loved ones whole. To keep Sol whole.

All things considered, the day had not affected her overmuch. While impressive in its opulence, Kelandra’s pointed display of power in the city had not been entirely unexpected. Nor, indeed, had been the naked disdain on the faces of the city’s inhabitants, their insults and their jeers. Such indignities did not upset her; she had endured their like her entire life. But this… She was not prepared for this.

Lux looked at Sol and felt her mask begin to crack.

Sensing the trembling in the walls, Sol quickly suggested they retreat upstairs and think over the undergeneral’s proposal. All agreed; they would have the night to decide. Taking Lux’s hand in hers and holding it tightly, Sol led the Tiefling from the room.

Eventually they would have to explain that action to Salomethe, who would no doubt greatly disapprove of her daughter’s romantic inclinations. But not before they discussed what to do next.

_“When? Where? I can’t come now.”_

_“The Hollow Fang, at ten bells. Don’t disappoint me.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Title song by Nine Inch Nails.
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr at @expressandadmirable for a proper table of contents for the Heroes campaign, commissioned character art, text-based roleplay snippets and more!


End file.
